What kind of band releases an album titled Virus in the middle of a global pandemic? The kind with balls — and innovative British progressive rockers Haken have plenty of those. Virus is a blistering depiction of tyranny spread across 11 songs with titles like “Prosthetic,” “Invasion” and the 17-minute five-part “Messiah Complex” suite. “The Strain” includes a vicious declaration of independence from a scarred world: You lend an ear, I chew it off/You disappear to see how quickly we move on/To cut you slack is to concede/I’d face the facts but I don’t believe a thing I read. Versatile vocalist Ross Jennings sounds alternately buoyant and frantic, and he’s backed by musicians who play with relentless passion and precision. Down-tuned riffing interrupted by delicate dreamscapes and extended instrumental passages keep listeners alert and intrigued throughout the album’s 52 minutes. Think Porcupine Tree but with more rage. Or late-period Opeth with less folk. Technically, Virus with its arresting yellow cover is a companion piece to Haken’s 2018 disc, Vector, which arrived in a Rorschach-inspired red cover. But newcomers looking to experience the band in all its eclectic glory should simply start here.
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